I didn't plan on making cookies for St. Patrick's Day. I wanted to concentrate more on Easter designs. However, my husband said that I could make a chocolate mint cookie if I did St. Patty's cookies. I never even heard of chocolate mint sugar cookies. The idea was definitely stuck in my mind.

I decided to invent a recipe. Some basic sugar cookie dough - enhanced. I will be sharing this yummy cookie recipe with you. It's delicious enough to be eaten fresh out of the oven. A chocolate mint rolled/cut-out sugar cookie.

After baking these cookies, I did decorating on 3 different days. Each day I did a different set of designs. The last day, I finished way toooooo late in the night. The picture isn't as pretty without the natural light of the sun, oh well. =[ I packaged the cookies immediately and shipped them to my in-laws, so I didn't get a change to take a pretty picture the next day.

On the first day, I tried to come up with 6 different designs for the popular shamrock cookie cutter shape. I made a very basic one, covered a cookie in green royal icing with a green outline. I dazzled one with white sanding sugar on the outline. It was an easy way out.

Then I tried to be more creative, the other 4 designs were good enough for me.

On the second day, I wanted to play with other shapes. My favorite one on the second day is the pot of gold. I filtered out yellow confetti sprinkles from a spring confetti sprinkle jar by wilton for the gold coins. I painted them in gold luster dust for more gold like qualities.

For the pot of gold cookie, you start with an empty undecorated cookie.

Outline a pot shape and fill in.

After the base dries, draw a lip/rim on top of the pot. Allow to set.

Fill in the top with yellow/gold color royal icing. Sprinkle with yellow confetti sprinkles. Allow to set.

Then paint gold luster dust on coins if desired.

I also painted gold luster dust on this tiny pot:

I disliked making the rainbow cookie. I often dislike making cookies that require more than 4 colors. So much color mixing, and so much piping bags to fill. =[

On the third day. I went crazy with ideas. I tried drawing a cute leprechaun and his hat and a cool shamrock holding a flag. I had fun with these designs.

I took tons of more pictures of each cookie at a close up angle, but don't have enough time to process the images tonight. Will update this post tomorrow with more photos, possibly maybe 2 days - some time before March 17. I promise.

Here is the chocolate mint sugar cookie recipe:

Chocolate Mint Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Green food coloring (2 drops if gel)

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/4 tps salt

1/3 cup Andes chocolate mints, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.